Ravenkit's Destiny
by Burrfrost
Summary: His family despises him. His Clan hates him so much it hurts. Ravenkit's only friend is Bluestar, a StarClan cat. She gives him a mysterious prophecy. It promises him a home where he will be loved by his family and his Clan. But he faces dark betrayals as Bluestar seems to turn away from him, and his one true love becomes his enemy. How will Ravenkit cope with all that is going on?
1. Prologue

Prologue

Ravenkit looked up at the starry night sky, sighing.

He closed his molten orange eyes briefly in depression. No cat liked him. Not his mother, his father nor his siblings. It was all because he had 'molten' eyes. They thought he was weird. So they made him an outcast. He was always the last of his siblings to get food, and always got shoved out of the way. All the kits excluded him from their games. The only other cat who was kind to him was Bluestar, but she was a StarClan cat.

"Ravenkit." Bluestar whispered.

Ravenkit looked up to see a blue-gray she-cat.

"Bluestar!" Ravenkit mewled, tears staining his pure black fur.

Bluestar touched noses with him, kindness glittering in her icy-blue gaze.

"I have a prophecy for you." Bluestar meowed, her eyes darkening all of a sudden.

"What is it?" Ravenkit asked, his eyes brimming with excitement, but his tone stayed dark and shadowy.

"The wind on the moor will blow the raven toward its destiny." Bluestar mewed.

"What does that mean?" Ravenkit queried his only friend. But Bluestar had already begun to fade away.

Ravenkit felt the ground vanish beneath him, and he fell and fell, deep into the everlasting darkness.


	2. The Muddy Raven

**Thank you to all of those people who have either Favorited this or Followed this story! I never knew so many people would like my story!**

Chapter 1

Dovewing grabbed Ravenkit by the scruff, dragging him through the squishy mud.  
"There." Dovewing spat coldly as she set him down in a pile of nettle drenched in mud.  
"Now you have some place to sleep."  
Rain began to fall, splashing against Ravenkit's dark pelt.  
He watched as his mother, Dovewing, carried Marigoldkit into the nursery. His father, Bumblestripe, carried Milkkit into the nursery.  
"Wait for me!" Ravenkit cried.  
Dovewing turned and glared at him harshly.  
"You don't deserve to sleep with your siblings tonight." She snapped.  
"You've been looking at other cats again. You know they get disturbed by your eyes."  
Ravenkit's heart cracked. He looked at the muddy soil being splattered everywhere by the rain.  
"I'm sorry." He apologized, his voice rising as if about to burst into tears.  
"I won't ever make eye-contact with cats ever again." He promised.  
"Too late for that." Dovewing hissed.  
"Make your own nest. And don't even THINK about coming into the nursery." She meowed, her pale-blue eyes flashing with hatred for her son.  
And with that, she padded into the nursery.  
Ravenkit stifled a wail of pain and loss. A lone tear trickled down the side of his face.  
He looked to Silverpelt for comfort from his ancestors, but none came. Just the shimmering of stars and the glow of the crescent moon.


	3. The Gathering

Chapter 2

Ravenkit awoke to a cold breeze buffeting his fur and sticky mud hardening around him. He looked around the ThunderClan camp, nearly laughing for the first time when he saw Milkkit tumble to the ground, pushed by Marigoldkit. But he held it in, knowing that like Dovewing had said, that laughing would only make him feel worse because he was never meant to be born. She had said that he was supposed to have died like his dead sister, Mintkit, when she had been born too weak to survive. Now Ravenkit was the strongest of his litter. Dovewing and Bumblestripe refused to kill him because it was against the Warrior Code.

"Ravenkit!" Dovewing called.

"Yes?" Ravenkit asked his mother.

"It's time for today's meal!" She answered, dropping the scrawniest thrush on the fresh-kill pile at his paws.

"Thanks!" Ravenkit mewled, his belly rumbling like thunder. He plunged his muzzle into the thrush, blood splattering everywhere. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dovewing pad away with a look of disgust on her face.

When Ravenkit finished his thrush, he noticed Marigold and Milkkit padding toward him.

"Bramblestar says we're going to trade you to the other Clans for prey and land!" Milkkit mewed tauntingly.

"Yeah, he said you're coming with him to the Gathering tonight so he can trade you there." Spat Marigoldkit.

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Wind whipped through the trees of the island, shaking leaves down. A sea of cats sat in the middle of the Gathering Island as other Clans glared with hostility at Ravenkit.

"I see ThunderClan is so desperate for warriors that they apprentice kits!" A light gray she-cat taunted.

Mistystar yowled for the Gathering to begin.

"RiverClan-" she began, but was cut off by the WindClan leader.

"Onestar is dead!" The ash-colored leader cried out, not thinking.

"Ashstar! Wait your turn!" Bramblestar hissed.

Mistystar's sea-blue gaze softened as she began to speak.

"RiverClan is thriving well, and we have no exciting news to share except for that our deputy, Reedwhisker, has joined the elders' den and is being replaced by Minnowtail." She meowed.

"Reedwhisker! Reedwhisker!" The Clans called out.

Ravenkit shrank back in the crowd as the loud voices rang out.

Mistystar nodded to Ashstar, who spoke at once.

"Onestar has lost his lives to greencough, but WindClan is happy and well-fed." Mewed Ashstar, who seemed a bit nervous.

"Thanks." Bramblestar meowed as Ashstar nodded to him.

"ThunderClan is thriving as well, and we have five new warriors; Seedfrost, Lilydapple, Ambereyes, Snowclaw and Dewdusk."

The Clans cheered the new warriors' names.

"We are also offering up a kit for any Clan that is willing to take him. Ravenkit, come forth." Bramblestar mewed.

Ravenkit reluctantly padded up to Bramblestar, who's eyes were gleaming with greed for more territory.

Ravenkit closed his eyes.

"We'll take him!" Ashstar volunteered, and Ravenkit heard a gasp from Blackstar as Ravenkit opened his eyes, showing his bizarre color.

_WindClan _would take Ravenkit in?


	4. Settling In

Chapter 3

Ravenkit padded behind Ashstar and WindClan across the moonlit moor. His eyes threatened to close, but Ravenkit managed to stay awake until Ashstar led him to the nursery, which was an abandoned fox den.

Ravenkit yawned, then started to pad in the direction of the nursery. He curled up inside it, though it was more crowded and cramped than he'd expected.

He glanced around, and saw a dark brown tabby she-kit resting beside a small white queen.

"Hello?" he whispered softly, but no cat stirred.

Instead, Ravenkit decided to drift to sleep. It was hard at first, as the harsh late leaf-fall wind blew in through the den opening, chilling Ravenkit to the bone. He wasn't used to weather like this.

Ashstar had agreed to give Bramblestar some of WindClan's herbs in exchange for Ravenkit.

Ravenkit smiled smugly to himself. He'd become the best fighter yet, and show ThunderClan that he could've been of use to them.


	5. Ravenkit's Promise

Chapter 4

Ravenkit blinked his eyes open to find himself in a musky, misty forest surrounded by the lush canopy of dark forest leaves, blocking out any starlight.

"Where am I? Is this StarClan?" Ravenkit whispered in a hushed voice.

He had never been to StarClan, but Bluestar had visited him on rare occasions.

"Hello, little one." An orange-and-white she-cat padded slowly up to him.

"Where's Bluestar?" Ravenkit asked warily.

"Around," the she-cat answered.

"Can I see her?" Ravenkit queried.

The she-cat purred. "She's busy," she told him.

"What's your name?" Ravenkit was so incredibly curious.

"Mapleshade," the she-cat mewed gently.

"I'm-"

"Ravenkit, I know." Mapleshade stroked his spine with the tip of her tail.

"Is this really StarClan?" he asked her.

But Mapleshade only looked at him with hungry eyes.

"I can give you anything you ever wanted," she whispered, circling Ravenkit. "All the power you've ever dreamed of. If you can promise me one thing."

"I promise!" Ravenkit mewled excitedly.

"Hush, little one. You don't even know what kind of promise you'll be making," Mapleshade cooed.

"What is it?" Ravenkit was dying to know.

"Do you promise," Mapleshade began. "That you'll be loyal to your Clan above all costs, no matter what you want?"

"I do! I promise!" Ravenkit's thrilled yowl echoed clear across the forest.

"Ravenkit!" Bluestar yowled.

Ravenkit twisted his head around and saw the blue-gray she-cat he always knew and loved.

"Bluestar!" Ravenkit was about to run up to her and greet her when Mapleshade grabbed his scruff and dragged him away.

"Ravenkit!" Bluestar yowled, but she, too, was dragged away by other cats, barely shadows outlined in the mist.

"Do you make that promise, regardless of your previous Clan?" Mapleshade whispered into his ear.

Ravenkit nodded determinedly. He'd never like those ThunderClan scums!

"I do!" he chimed.

"Good," Mapleshade meowed soothingly. "Now, go to sleep, and tomorrow night, I will help you fulfill your great destiny."

"I have a great destiny?" Ravenkit echoed.

Mapleshade looked surprised. "But of course!" she hissed calmly.

"What kind?" Ravenkit beamed.

"You'll find out soon enough," Mapleshade whispered. "You really do have a great destiny ahead of you."

"What kind?" Ravenkit repeated.

Mapleshade sighed. "Do you _really _want to know now?"

Ravenkit nodded firmly. "More than anything in the world!"

"OK, then," Mapleshade's voice hushed down to a soft murmur. "You will be the greatest leader the Clans have ever known!"

Ravenkit gasped in excitement. "Really?!"

Mapleshade nodded. "Really."

Ravenkit couldn't believe his ears! He was to be the greatest leader ever!

"Even better than Firestar?" he inquired the old she-cat.

"Ten times as better!" Mapleshade cheered.

"Even better than Crookedstar?!"

Mapleshade flinched at the name Crookedstar.

"Of course!" she hissed through gritted teeth. "Now, you'd better get some rest before you begin your training tomorrow night."

Ravenkit nodded sleepily, curling up into a ball in a patch of dark nettle, drifting into a peaceful slumber.

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"Who's he, Whitetail?" a small voice mewled.

"Hush, Softkit, don't wake him," a calm voice murmured.

Ravenkit blinked open his eyes, staring straight into the blue-green eyes of the small white queen he'd seen earlier. He was shocked to find that the she-cat didn't even twitch a whisker as she gazed into his molten-orange eyes.

"Ew, he's gross!" Softkit hissed.

"Softkit!" Whitetail gently swatted the sleek, light gray she-cat.

"I think he looks handsome," a light brown tabby queen purred.

Ravenkit was carried away in a flush of embarrassment.

"But he looks so ugly!" a ginger tabby tom-kit spat.

"Hush, Gingerkit," the light brown queen scolded.

"Heathertail, I don't want to!" Gingerkit wailed.

"Yeah! He's so bizarre!" a dark gray tom-kit criticized.

"If you're going to be that rude, Graykit-all of you-then no more mice today! Just milk!" Heathertail scolded the three kits.

Softkit buried her face in her mother's fur, while Gingerkit and Graykit just huffed.

"We're so sorry," Whitetail apologized.

"It's nothing, really," Ravenkit reassured the angry queens. "I'm used to it. Even though it is just my eyes."

The two queens exchanged worried glances.

"What?" Ravenkit asked, his heart beginning to pound. "What is it?"

Heathertail flicked her tail toward a small puddle dappled with silver-blue ripples.

Ravenkit gulped, padding warily over to the small pool of water. He peered at his reflection, gasping in horror as he saw himself; a black tom-kit with white chestfur, white paws, molten-orange eyes and... something new, something he hadn't noticed before, or might've always been there to begin with and he hadn't noticed it at first as he might've been too horrified at the color of his eyes for his mind to even care. He noticed two diagonal lines pass through each other, dark gray, across his black face, making it look like a furry, gray 'x'. Not only that, but one of his eyes was bright, molten-orange, and the other was a dark, fiery-orange color. Not able to take it anymore, Ravenkit rushed past the gathered cats to get away from it all, only to bump into Ashstar.

"Fitting in well?" Ashstar asked gently.

Ravenkit searched her clear blue eyes, looking for disgust and regret, but all he saw was soft kindess and understanding. Before he knew it, Ravenkit had burst into a series of tears as he sobbed in front of Ashstar, who looked at him with pity.

"I want to be loved! I want to be cared for!" he wailed aloud.

"Oh, Ravenkit, you _are _being cared for, right here right now," Ashstar soothed.

Ravenkit didn't believe it. He raced into the darkest, furthest corner of the nursery and sobbed there until night fell and he was bone-tired. Then, sleep washed over him like a soothing, cold wave.

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"Ravenkit!" Mapleshade's hiss startled Ravenkit awake as he blinked his eyes open to a dark, misty forest once again. His veins pumped with energy, which was unexpected since he fell asleep exhausted.

"Time to begin training!" The orange-and-white she-cat circled him impatiently. Without warning, she struck a blow to his face, claws unsheathed.

"Duck under!" she hissed. "Always be prepared! A warrior is always prepared!"

Ravenkit breathed in and out, looking at his mentor with anticipation.

"Are you ready for hard work?" Mapleshade hissed.

"I'm ready," Ravenkit breathed, steadying his paws.

"Good," Mapleshade whispered into his ear, smiling grimly.

They trained all night long, working Ravenkit until he felt as though he'd collapse.

"It's dawn," Mapleshade mewed.

"Let me get this move right first," Ravenkit demanded. "I'm still a kit, it's not like I have a dawn patrol to attend to."

Ravenkit leaped up in the air, twisting onto his back, feeling the thick mist dampen his fur. Then, claws unsheathed, he slashed at the waiting Mapleshade with his hind claws, landing with a thump on the ground. He was on his back as he hit the forest floor.

"Nice try," Mapleshade meowed quickly. "But I've got to go."

Ravenkit dug his claws into the soft soil as the world swayed beneath him. He didn't want to go! Too late, though.

"Ravenkit? Why are you covered in scratches?" Softkit mewled.

"There must be a thorn in my nest or something," Ravenkit mewed quickly.

"That's one StarClan cursed thorn," Gingerkit teased.

"Yeah, you look like a fox that just got beat up by a patrol of warriors!" Graykit taunted.

"He's a fox?!" Softkit gasped mischievously. "Run!"

The three kits squealed, racing out of the nursery. Out of boredom and hope that playing fox with his new Denmates would make them like him, Ravenkit gave chase.

"You're not supposed to follow us!" Softkit hissed at him. Ravenkit kept running after them anyway.

"Yeah, you're supposed to stay, scared, in your den!" Graykit wailed.

"You're no fun!" Gingerkit huffed.

"But you can attack me while I'm in my den!" Ravenkit squealed.

"I guess," Softkit mewled flatly.

Ravenkit crept back into the den, pretending to be asleep as the three other kits crept up on him. This was going to be fun!

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Mapleshade wore a smug smile on her face as she padded through the Dark Forest. She dipped her head to Antpelt as she passed him.

She had made Ravenkit accept her promise, and what a fool he was for not declining! Better for her, though. Ravenkit was unaware of the promise Crookedstar had made all those seasons ago, not knowing that he'd have to sacrifice every single cat he ever loved. Mapleshade nearly cackled out loud at the thought of Ravenkit wailing in pain as all his loved ones passed away. She'd make cats love him so he could feel the pain of losing someone.

_Aha! _Mapleshade thought as a brilliant idea seared through her mind. _I'll make loads and loads of cats love him, and when he's finally leader, I'll kill them all! _Mapleshade ran her thorn-sharp claws down the side of a tree trunk. She would do all she planned to Ravenkit! She'd keep her promise, she'd make him leader, the greatest leader ever! She'd make him lose all his loved ones, and he'd have no choice but to thank her for making him become leader! Then one day, she'd kill him! What a horrible life he'd live! And it was all because of Mapleshade! Mapleshade! Her gaze glittered wildly. She loved her name! She loved her life! And now it was time for Ravenkit to have a great yet awful destiny!

"This will be fun!" she whispered to herself.

This was his destiny, this was Ravenkit's destiny! And she'd make his destiny happen!


	6. Night of the Raven

**A quick note. All of my other stories shall be delayed and NOT get updated until I am finished with this story. Have a nice day. -Burrfrost**

Chapter 5

Ravenkit curled up beside his new littermate, Softkit, who was now his foster sister, Whitetail, his foster mother, and Boulderfur, his foster father.

_Having a family who actually cares about you feels nice, _Ravenkit thought with pleasure. Softkit had finally warmed up to him, and it made Ravenkit feel special that his new family cared about him, loved him, would protect him.

"Can't you sleep?" Gingerkit's mew startled him. He forgot that Gingerkit and Graykit still disliked him.

"Shut up," Softkit mumbled, turning over.

Suddenly, excitement fizzed through Ravenkit at the prospect of training with Mapleshade, his StarClan mentor. He squeezed his eyes shut, and willed sleep to come. It did, and swept him away from his body as his spirit rose up to StarClan, ready to train with his StarClan mentor for the night.

"Hello, Ravenkit," Mapleshade's welcoming made Ravenkit feel as if he could remain there forever. He dipped his head as the familiar orange-and-white she-cat padded up to him, and they touched noses like they had known each other for seasons.

"Are you ready to continue your training?" she murmured.

"Yes!" squealed Ravenkit, bouncing up and down. "Let me show you that move you taught me! I'm going to be the best warrior WindClan has ever seen!"

Mapleshade purred. "I'm afraid not, dear," she whispered.

Ravenkit's heart lurched. "W-what do you mean?" he squeaked worriedly.

"I mean," began Mapleshade. "That you're going to be the best _leader _the _Clans _have ever seen!" Her mighty mew echoed throughout the forest.

"Now," she mewed. "Show me that move you've been dying to have me see."

Ravenkit nodded, leaping in the air, twisting onto his back and slashing out at a clump of misty moss with his hind claws, slicing it into several tiny pieces. Just before he hit the ground, Ravenkit twisted so all four of his paws were facing the forest floor, and landed feet-first.

Mapleshade's eyes brimmed with joy.

"Excellent!" she beamed. "Already you have the makings of a fine warrior!"

Ravenkit straightened up proudly.

"Your mentor will be so impressed!" Mapleshade yowled proudly. "Soon, you'll have glory, power over all the Clans, and respect!"

_Respect. _Ravenkit repeated the word in his mind. It sounded better each time he played it in his head.

"Ready to learn a new move?" Mapleshade's words snapped him out of respect land.

"Yes!" Ravenkit chimed.

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"I've never met your sisters, Softkit. How come?" Ravenkit asked his foster sister.

"Meh. They stayed in the elders' den for a while listening to Tornear's stories," Softkit replied smoothly.

"That long? What about milk?"

"They eat prey, now."

"Really?"

Ravenkit and Softkit stopped at a rather large, abandoned badger's den.

"Is this the elders' den?" Ravenkit queried.

Softkit nodded. Together, they padded inside. Ravenkit sneezed as the dust filled his nostrils.

"And so, we fought off those Dark Forest warriors, and made sure they stayed out of they elders' den! Mapleshade was so stubborn..." Tornear began.

Ravenkit stiffened. Did he say _Mapleshade_? Surely not! Mapleshade was a StarClan warrior, not a Dark Forest warrior! Right?

"Silverhawk and-" Tornear stopped as he and Webfoot looked at the two new kits. Ravenkit looked at the two she-kits; a golden tabby she-kit with a dark gray splotch on her forehead, and a dark red she-kit.

"Webfoot, Tornear, Rosekit, Stormkit," Softkit dipped her head to each cat in turn. "This is Ravenkit. Ravenkit, this is Webfoot, Tornear, Rosekit and Stormkit."

"Uh... hi..." Ravenkit mumbled, shuffling his paws beneath him uncomfortably.

Rosekit rushed up to Ravenkit, her dark blue eyes searching him.

"Hi!" she squeaked, cocking her head to one side as she studied him. "You sure are handsome!"

"Er... thanks..." Ravenkit had never been called 'handsome' by a peer.

Stormkit kneaded the dark soil with her front claws, muttering something Ravenkit couldn't understand.

"Hi," she hissed gruffly.

"What's eating her?" Ravenkit whispered to Rosekit.

"I think she likes you," Rosekit murmured back.

The ground swayed beneath Ravenkit's paws. Was it possible?

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"Ravenkit, come forward," meowed Ashstar. She seemed to have gotten over her grief for Onestar, and had grasped the qualities of a true leader.

"I hereby name you Ravenpaw, apprentice of..." Ashstar's gaze swept over the sea of WindClan cats. "Apprentice of Gorsetail!"

"Ravenpaw! Ravenpaw!" cheered the WindClan cats.

Ravenpaw touched noses with the pale she-cat as he sat beside her, watching the rest of the apprentice ceremony take place.

Rosepaw was apprenticed to Whiskernose, Stormpaw to Sedgewhisker, Softpaw to Furzepelt, Gingerpaw to Emberfoot, and Graypaw to Leaftail.

"I'm so excited!" Rosepaw whispered to Ravenpaw as she sat down beside him. "We'll get a tour of the territory soon!"

Ravenpaw was thrilled about that part, but more thrilled about how he could impress Gorsetail by showing her the moves Mapleshade had taught him.

"Rosepaw!" Whiskernose called to his apprentice.

"Yes?" Rosepaw called back, her dark blue eyes still sparkling with excitement.

"Time for the tour of WindClan territory!"

"I have to go," Rosepaw muttered to Ravenpaw, brushing her muzzle against his. "See you later."

_Yeah... _thought Ravenpaw dreamily as he gazed after the dark red apprentice. _See you later..._

Then Ravenpaw stared out across the bleak moorland, realizing that there wasn't much to see except for the never ending grass that stretched out across the vast landscape, whispering in the greenleaf sun as the soft breezes tickled its blades of grass.

"Ravenpaw?" Gorsetail's mew made him jump.

"Yes?" he replied shakily.

"We're going to go on the tour of the territory with Softpaw and Stormpaw, OK?" Gorsetail informed him.

Ravenpaw nodded. His heart wished that Rosepaw could come with them, and his mind just laughed.

_How could you be so dumb? _His mind cackled. _But... but she _likes _me! _Argued his heart. _She'll distract you from becoming a great warrior! _After a while Ravenpaw noticed that it wasn't his mind speaking, but it was Mapleshade. Her thick, raspy voice still echoed in his mind. _She'll distract you from becoming a great warrior! _

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"You rabbit-brain!" hissed Mapleshade, her tone sticky with anger. "Remember your promise! You can't go mooning after some fluffy pretty she-cat! She'll drag you away from your top priority!"

StarClan cats weren't supposed to be this cruel! What was wrong with her?!

"My promise was that I'd be loyal to my Clan, and I am!" Ravenpaw spat back at her.

"Yes," Mapleshade echoed. "It was. But like I told you before; forget about what _you _want, think about what your _Clan _needs! The Clan is stronger and better than its cats!"

"I'm sorry," Ravenpaw mewed, frightened. "Can we get on with training now?"

Mapleshade's gaze softened. "How impressed was your mentor?" she soothed.

"Crazy impressed!" Ravenpaw beamed. "I already knew half the moves she tried to show me!"

"Ready to learn more?"

"I was born ready!"

Mapleshade stood up on her hind legs, curling her tail around her left hind leg, and slashing out at a tree hollowed with claw-marks with her front claws, then landing back on all fours, uncurling her tail.

"Let me try!" Ravenpaw meowed.

He stood up on his hind legs awkwardly, curling his tail around his left hind leg. Without any balance due to his curled tail, Ravenpaw fell to the floor.

"Why do I have to do that?" he asked.

"Because that way your enemy won't get your tail if they duck under you!" Mapleshade replied. "Now, try again."

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Ravenpaw blinked open his eyes to warm sunlight streaming onto all the apprentices. The soft grass against his pelt made him feel at home. He liked sleeping outside, especially next to Rosepaw.

Next to him, Rosepaw stirred, sitting up beside him.

"Too bad we can't go for a walk until we're warriors," she murmured. "They say apprentices can't go anywhere without a warrior supervising."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we said we were going out to collect moss," Ravenpaw told her sleepily.

"Moss?" Rosepaw echoed. She purred with amusement. "Good luck finding some of that out here."

"Surely there's some at the Moonpool?" Ravenpaw queried.

Rosepaw shook her head.

"Only leaders and medicine cats can go there," she mewed. "Ashstar's orders."

Ravenpaw huffed.

"We can climb the top of the slope that shelters part of the camp," Ravenpaw told her gently.

Rosepaw shrugged. "I guess..." she mumbled.

"Race you!" cried Ravenpaw as he dashed up the tall slope.

Rosepaw smirked as she caught up with him easily.

"I'm WindClan," she reminded him. "I'm faster than you."

Ravenpaw rolled his eyes, straining to rush ahead of her, but Rosepaw had already made it to the top.

Ravenpaw purred loudly, pushing her to the ground and gently clamping his teeth on her neck.

"I killed you!" he hollered playfully.

Rosepaw grinned widely, pushing him off. Then she swung a sheathed paw at his face gently while dodging his next blow.

"You'd never win a battle with me!" she teased.

"I already killed you," taunted Ravenpaw.

"I wasn't ready!" Rosepaw protested.

"Doesn't matter!" Ravenpaw meowed. "A warrior is always prepared for anything!"

Rosepaw rolled her dark blue eyes, sitting beside Ravenpaw as together they gazed out at the milky-yellow dawn sky.

"I think we should go," mewed Ravenpaw after a while.

Rosepaw nodded, racing back down the slope, and Ravenpaw followed, feeling the wind buffet his fur.

As soon as they got down there, the rest of the camp began stirring awake.

"Ravenpaw." Gorsetail dipped her head as she padded up to her apprentice. "Ready for some new hunting and battle moves?"

Ravenpaw nodded eagerly, flexing his claws beneath him.

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Ravenpaw yawned, stretching his limbs as he curled up beside Rosepaw. He felt her shift in her sleep so they were both facing each other, their noses touching. With a content sigh, Ravenpaw drifted into sleep.

"I told you, a mate is going to distract you!" hissed Mapleshade.

Ravenpaw shuffled his paws beneath him.

"But," he protested. "Kits grow into warriors, and warriors help the Clan."

A soft growl rose in the back of Mapleshade's throat.

"Worry about mates _after _you become leader and fulfill your destiny!" she spat. She began to curl her lip, showing sharp, yellow teeth, but obviously thought better of it.

"I'm sorry, dear," she purred smoothly. "I just have a bad temper sometimes."

Ravenpaw nodded in reply.

"Anyway," Mapleshade circled him. "I've realized you have warmed up to nearly every cat in the Clan."

Ravenpaw huffed. "Every cat except Gingerpaw and Graypaw," he retorted bitterly.

"That's because they're jealous of you," Mapleshade soothed. "All cats are jealous of a cat in which is obvious has a great destiny ahead of them."

"I guess you're right," mewed Ravenpaw.

Mapleshade froze.

"What?" Ravenpaw asked, worry rising in him.

"Get down!" hissed Mapleshade.

Ravenpaw plunged into a thick patch of dark green leaves, dampened with misty dew. He watched as a mottled gray tom and a pale gray tabby tom padded up to Mapleshade.

"Where's your new pupil?" the pale gray tom asked Mapleshade.

"None of your business, Silverhawk," Mapleshade replied flatly.

"Tell us," hissed the mottled gray tom.

"Go away," spat Mapleshade.

"Make us," taunted Silverhawk.

Ravenpaw closed his eyes, willing sleep to come, and it did as it swept him away.

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"Ravenpaw," whispered Rosepaw. Ravenpaw stretched in the soft grass, yawning.

"Why are you covered in scratches?"

Ravenpaw looked down at his body and noticed scratches and scars as blood dripped out of them from his nighttime training with Mapleshade.

"Maybe a fox attacked me in my sleep," he joked. Rosepaw was not amused.

Suddenly a sharp pang in Ravenpaw's tail made him shudder. He looked down at it, and saw a long scar stretching across it from the end to the start.

"It'll fade away," he promised Rosepaw.

"One other thing," Rosepaw muttered uncomfortably, shifting her dark red paws beneath her. "I need to talk to you about it somewhere else."

Ravenpaw followed his mate to the top of the slope, where Rosepaw gazed forlornly at the brightening dawn sky, the wind buffeting her fur.

"What is it?" Ravenpaw inquired.

Rosepaw took a deep breath. "I'm expecting kits," she meowed unsteadily.

Ravenpaw let out a gasp.

"Kits?!" he gaped.

Rosepaw nodded. "I am truly expecting kits," she repeated.

Ravenpaw gazed down at her belly, which was partially swollen with kits, but just ever so slightly that you'd have to look very closely. So it was true. Rosepaw was expecting Ravenpaw's kits!


	7. Rosepaw's Love

**This is not similar to What is There to Do?. OK? Got that? GOT IT?!**

Chapter 6

"Kestrelflight is going to notice sooner or later," Ravenpaw told Rosepaw with worry. "What are we going to do about that?"

Rosepaw closed her eyes briefly, then reopened them as they flashed.

"I know!" she meowed.

"What?" asked Ravenpaw.

"Well," began Rosepaw. "I..." she trailed off as her night-blue eyes misted over. "No... that won't work at all," she muttered.

"Hopefully you'll be a warrior by then," Ravenpaw told her, running the tip of his tail along her spine.

Rosepaw huffed. "Yeah right," she retorted.

Ravenpaw sighed. "How will you carry on with your duties?" he wondered.

"StarClan knows," Rosepaw mumbled.

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"Today we'll be doing a team training session," announced Whiskernose. "Am I clear?"

The apprentices nodded respectfully.

"OK," mewed Whiskernose. "I'll be with Rosepaw, Stormpaw, Sedgewhisker, Ravenpaw and Gorsetail," he flicked his tail at the cats he'd chosen. "And Gingerpaw, Graypaw and Softpaw, you'll be with Furzepelt, Emberfoot and Leaftail."

"What's the goal?" Gingerpaw piped up.

"The goal?" echoed Whiskernose. "The goal is; each team must catch one rabbit. Then, they must guard that rabbit and make sure the other team doesn't steal it and place it beside their rabbit. If they do, then they win. The losing team gets elder duty."

"Even the warriors?" Emberfoot queried.

"Even the warriors," Whiskernose replied, a slight purr to his tone.

"Is there a leader?" Graypaw asked.

Whiskernose nodded. "Each team must vote on a leader," he meowed.

The two teams huddled up.

"I vote Whiskernose," mewed Sedgewhisker.

"Me too," Gorsetail decided.

"I guess he'd be the best choice," Stormpaw muttered.

"Right! It's settled then!" Rosepaw cheered.

"Majority rules!" Ravenpaw hollered excitedly.

The team crowded out.

"Emberfoot, who's the leader of your team?" Whiskernose called to the gray tom.

"I am!" Furzepelt meowed proudly.

"That's right!" jeered Graypaw. "Go FurzeClan!"

"That sounds _so _rabbit-brained!" taunted Stormpaw.

"Your face is rabbit-brained!" spat Gingerpaw.

"Well, WhiskerClan sounds _way _better!" Softpaw hissed.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Whiskernose hissed. "Let's just get on with it!"

Furzepelt nodded. "FurzeClan's going to be the first one to catch a rabbit!" she challenged.

"Nuh-uh!" Whiskernose meowed, racing away.

"C'mon!" Rosepaw meowed. "Let's follow him and catch a rabbit!"

Ravenpaw and the rest of 'WhiskerClan' raced after their leader. Ravenpaw parted his jaws to drink in the moorland scents. He spotted a meaty hare, unaware of WhiskerClan and him creeping up on it. Then, Stormpaw bolted after it, sending it bounding into Ravenpaw's paws. He trapped it, and the hare looked up, its blackberry eyes wide and round with fear as it shivered. Ravenpaw killed it with a swift bite to the neck, watching the light die from its beady eyes.

Stormpaw caught up to him, panting. "Nice catch," she commented.

Ravenpaw dipped his head, placing the hare at her paws.

Suddenly a screech of battle cry rippled through the air, and Graypaw came charging at them with great speed.

Ravenpaw exchanged an amused glance with Stormpaw. Quick as lightning, Stormpaw flicked her front leg out in front of Graypaw as he came bolting at the hare. Graypaw gasped as he stumbled over her outstretched paw, and crashed to the ground while Rosepaw and Ravenpaw swung sheathed blows at him with their front paws.

"The hare is gone!" yowled Gorsetail.

Ravenpaw turned his head to see Emberfoot racing away, their hare clamped in his jaws, as Stormpaw shot angrily after him.

Ravenpaw bounded after the she-cat, with speed almost fit enough for WindClan. He knocked Emberfoot down by pouncing on top of him, allowing enough of a distraction for Stormpaw to snatch the rabbit from his jaws, racing back to the rest of WhiskerClan.

Meanwhile, Ravenpaw dashed toward FurzeClan's rabbit, dodging several blows from Gingerpaw and Graypaw, who were determined to embarrass him. He snatched the rabbit up, and bolted as fast as he could back to his teammates. He felt a bony leg flash out under him, and he stumbled, rolling over with the rabbit grasped firmly in his jaws, feeling the itchy grass burn and scratch at his body. He dug his claws into the hard earth, feeling the burning sensation of them raking across thick soil and rogue stones. A sharp pain seared through one of them as he felt it bend severely.

Much to his relief, Stormpaw snatched the rabbit and flung it at their hare.

"WhiskerClan won!" cheered Gorsetail. Her gaze faltered once she saw Ravenpaw writhing on the ground, his left front paw clutching at his right front paw.

"Are you alright?" she asked her black-furred apprentice.

Ravenpaw nodded his head, standing up, only to collapse back onto the ground, showing Gorsetail his crooked claw.

"Ha!" teased Graypaw. "We should name you Crookedclaw now!"

Softpaw flashed her denmate a challenging look as Gingerpaw stood up tall beside her, glaring at his littermate.

"G-Gingerpaw?" stuttered Graypaw. "Why are you so defensive of Ravenpaw and Softpaw all of a sudden? Softpaw's as soft as a kittypet! And Crookedclaw-er, Ravenpaw- is so ugly looking!"

Sedgewhisker shot him a fierce glare as Graypaw shuffled his paws beneath him.

Distant barking from a little ways off became a series of loud growling as a tall brown dog came racing up to the gathered cats, its tongue lolling like a fat pink worm.

"Dog!" yelped Leaftail, running away in the direction of the camp.

Ravenpaw's heart fluttered like a trapped dove and he tried to get up, but fell back down as searing pain surged through his twisted claw.

"Ravenpaw!" Rosepaw came hurtling over toward the yapping dog, scoring her claws down its flank, sending flecks of crimson blood flying onto the rich green grass below. The dog let out a whimper, grabbing Rosepaw by the scruff and shaking her fiercely. Rosepaw flattened her ears to her head, twisting in the air and landing on her spine. She ignored the blood gushing out from her scruff and clamped her jaws firmly around the dog's neck. The dog howled with pain and rage, swerving his body from side to side in an effort to fling Rosepaw off. Rosepaw slid down the dog's throat, creating a long trail of scars and scratches as blood oozed out. The dog whimpered, and eventually managed to tear Rosepaw off of it, running away in terror. She trotted over to the gaping and shocked Ravenpaw.

"How-"

"Lean on me," Rosepaw snapped. Ravenpaw got up, and nearly fell down until Rosepaw flanked him, letting him lean against her shoulder as Stormpaw came racing up as well, balancing him.

"Let's get you back to camp," Stormpaw meowed with slight humor as Ravenpaw stumbled most of the way.

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Kestrelflight gave Ravenpaw a cracked brown stick, letting him bite down on it hard as he bent the claw back into place. Ravenpaw's eyes misted with pain.

"You're lucky Rosepaw was there to save your life," Kestrelflight murmured as he rubbed a poultice on Ravenpaw's bleeding paw.

"I'm lucky my claw wasn't worse and you were able to fix it," huffed Ravenpaw. "Thank you."

Kestrelflight only nodded.

"You'd best sleep in here tonight," the medicine cat told him. "So your claw can get better and your paw won't get infected more easily by the cold night breeze."

Ravenpaw nodded sleepily, feeling tiredness bring him to sleep.

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"You got her _pregnant_?!" spat Mapleshade as her claws scored a blow across Ravenpaw's face. "What have you done?! Have you forgotten your promise? Do you wish to suffer as I once did?! Is that what you want? Hmm?!"

Ravenpaw backed away, his eyes clouded with fear.

"StarClan cats aren't supposed to be this cruel," he muttered.

Mapleshade lashed out with her unsheathed paw.

"Then maybe you should learn some respect!" she hissed.

"Maybe I will!" Ravenpaw snapped.

Mapleshade muttered something Ravenpaw couldn't understand.

"Anyway," she hissed. "Let's learn some battle moves."

Ravenpaw nodded, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Try this," invited Mapleshade as she leaped in the air, claws unsheathed, and landed on top of Ravenpaw, her claws digging into his spine.

"Mrrow!" yowled Ravenpaw. "What was that for?!"

Mapleshade leaped off, grooming her fur.

"A useful battle move and a lesson," she replied smoothly.

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"She's been having pains," Kestrelflight mewed, his eyes flashing.

Ravenpaw nodded solemnly in reply.

"The kits will be coming soon, won't they?" Rosepaw mumbled.

"Yes, yes they will. It's a good thing you moved to the nursery," Kestrelflight told her as gently as he could.

"Ravenpaw, I'm scared," Rosepaw whispered.

"No need to be scared," Ravenpaw murmured back. "I'll protect you and our kits, even at the cost of my life." Suddenly Ravenpaw's promise rang in his ears, the one where he had a great destiny ahead of him. But that didn't matter at the moment. All that mattered right now was the safety of his mate and their unborn kits.

"Ravenpaw," Rosepaw muttered weakly.

"What?" Ravenpaw asked her, worry building up inside him.

"I think I'm sick."

Kestrelflight shook his head.

"It's just the pregnancy," he informed her soothingly. "Nothing to worry about."

Rosepaw gulped loudly, nodding her head slowly and shakily.

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Mapleshade paced through the forest, not believing that Ravenpaw had just had kits with Rosepaw. This was great yet terrible news. It was terrible because Ravenpaw might be so caught up with his kits that he'd forget all about his promise. The good news about it was that she'd kill his kits as well, making him suffer more, if she ever got the chance to kill them, that is. She'd wait for the right moment and then... SNAP! She'd snap their tiny necks! Or, make them suffer by ripping them apart, leaving them to die slowly and slowly, their life bleeding out into their nests with their unsuspecting mother... If she got the chance, that is.

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"It hurts! So! Badly! Kestrelflight, make it stop!" wailed Rosepaw.

"I'm afraid I can't stop labor," Kestrelflight told the queen-apprentice worriedly. She'd been kitting all morning, with a frightened Ravenpaw pacing outside of the nursery, hearing the screeches of pain coming from his mate.

"She'll be fine," Ashstar told Ravenpaw gently.

"Can you promise me that?" Ravenpaw demanded.

Ashstar stared at her paws.

"We can't _promise _anything," Crowfeather, the deputy, snapped. "And you should know better than having kits as an apprentice."

"It was an accident!" Ravenpaw protested.

"Ravenpaw?" It was Kestrelflight. His blue gaze was lit with worry. "Come in. There's cats you need to meet..."

Ravenpaw gulped, following Kestrelflight into the dusty, abandoned fox den. Soft mewling and a raspy purr lifted Ravenpaw's spirits up to StarClan with hope.

"Meet your new kits," Kestrelflight invited, the worry washed from his eyes.

Ravenpaw gazed down at his four kits, then at his mate. He nearly fainted when he saw Rosepaw breathing feebly beside her kits, her eyes just barely open.

"Name our kits..." she rasped, her eyes starting to close slowly.

"No..." whispered Ravenpaw. "No!"

"Hurry," Rosepaw croaked, the light fading from her eyes too quickly for Ravenpaw. She started coughing heavily, as three tiny bouts of coughs came from three of the four kits.

"This one Shadekit," his tail-tip touched the black tom-kit with light blue-gray flecks on its ears. "And this one..." he gazed down at the dark red she-kit, then back up at his mate. "This one Rosekit," he murmured. "For you, my love."

Rosepaw's eyes sparkled.

"This one..." he glanced at the dusky-white she-kit. "Duskkit... and you name the last one."

"I want this one to be named Frostkit," Rosepaw mewed meekly, placing her nose on the bright white she-kit with dark red ear-tips. The tiny kit mewled and squirmed beneath her mother's black nose. A final breath sent Ravenpaw wailing with grief as he buried his nose into Rosepaw's dark red fur. She was dead! His mate was dead!

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It was a quiet and sad night as Ravenpaw curled his body around his kits. He drifted into a peaceful sleep, and slept well that night without training with Mapleshade at all.

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"Ravenpaw? Time to get up," mewed Stormpaw gently.

"I can't leave my kits," Ravenpaw snapped back.

"Ravenpaw." Stormpaw's mew was urgent. "They're dead, Ravenpaw. They were incredibly sick."

"What?!" Ravenpaw gasped. "No!"

A tiny squeak interrupted his extra grief as a tiny white body stirred beneath him. Relief flooded his heart as he gazed down at his remaining kit.

"At least Frostkit's still alive," he murmured, drawing the young kit closer to him with the sweep of his plumy tail.

Frostkit's dark red ear-tips twitched as she mewled, her tiny squeak muffled by something that Ravenpaw didn't know where it was.

"She's truly adorable," Stormpaw meowed affectionately.

Suddenly the bright white she-kit blinked open her eyes in a flash, and they were a bright, bright blue as she gazed up curiously at her father and Stormpaw.

"Hello, my daughter," Ravenpaw whispered. "I'm Ravenpaw, your father."

The tiny kit mewled in response, her ears suddenly perked up as a hungry gleam flashed in her eyes, then quickly faded.

"ThunderClan!" yowled Ashstar. "ThunderClan is attacking!"

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Mapleshade's belly churned with satisfaction. Because of Ravenpaw's promise, Mapleshade was able to cast sickness upon Rosepaw and three of her kits. But something stopped her before she spread it to the fourth one, something sinister that she liked...

**I hope you enjoyed! Review!**

**Question: How many of you guys really liked Rosepaw before she died? How many of you hated her?**


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